1. Field of the Invention
An adapter assembly used to mount a seedling plant and preferably a live container grown seedling with or without a more conventional decoration on either an artificial or live tree such as a Christmas Tree wherein facilities for containing the seedling are particularly structured to foster growth and improve chances of survival for container grown seedlings and like plants when transplanted from the adapter assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The utilization and popularity of artificial Christmas Tree structures has been known for many years. Generally, such structures have the advantage of durability and may be used continuously for many years. Also, use of such artificial tree structures do not entail the care and maintenance frequently associated with live or fresh cut trees. In addition, artificial trees are generally considered to be safer than fresh cut trees especially by being less flammable, thereby preventing fire.
However, the use of live Christmas trees and the like are still greatly preferred by many. Such preference is generally associated with the time honored tradition of maintaining, for at least a short period of time, a live tree and then transplanting or replanting the tree in some permanent location outside of the home. Obvious disadvantages are associated with such tradition. Such disadvantages are usually associated with the removal and maintenance of the rather cumbersome root system of the tree and then the transporting and replanting of such tree including the root system in a manner which will facilitate permanent growth of the live tree at its new location.
Based on the above, there is an obvious advantage of combining an adaptor assembly capable of maintaining a seedling or plant, preferably of the container grown type, in a manner which allows mounting and display of the container grown seedling on a seasonal tree such as a Christmas tree. Whether the seasonal tree is artificial or real, the seedling itself can be maintained on a permanent basis by replanting after use in order to have a lasting memory of the particular season for which the tree was utilized. Various prior art attempts have been made to provide holders for live and/or artificial plants.
Prior art structures of the type set forth above are generally represented in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Hamlet, 2,453,906; Ehlers, 2,691,849; Teufel, 3,044,200; Zumpel et al, 3,498,520; O'Connell, 4,004,367; and Koistinen, 4,418,496.
While the structures disclosed in the above-noted patents are certainly operable for the function intended, none are specifically directed to or disclose structures which serve to combine a live plant, preferably a container grown seedling, with either a live or an artificial tree in a decorative fashion. Further, both growth and transplanting of the seedling is facilitated by the particular structure of components of a preferred container and mounting assembly.